Drugs, guns, cash seized in Jasper County raids

Staff Reports

Wednesday

Nov 22, 2017 at 12:19 PM

A multi-agency investigation into the distribution of cocaine, crack cocaine and opiates ended Nov. 15 in the arrest of 13 suspects — including one from Bluffton — on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.

The investigation into the drug trafficking organization led agents to seize more than $45,000, 37 firearms, more than 45 kilograms of cocaine, more than 1 kilogram of crack cocaine, 100 grams of heroin, 129 grams of MDMA (Ecstasy), 1 pound of marijuana, and five cars that were used by the drug trafficking organization, a U.S. Attorney’s Office news release said.

The investigation included 11 search warrants served in Jasper and Beaufort counties, Pooler, Savannah, Suwanee, Ga., and Tampa, Fla.

Jasper County Sheriff Chris Malphrus said the raid was a collaborative effort. He said a multi-agency investigation began in 2013 and "stalled" until March when he asked the DEA Charleston Resident Office to reignite the investigation.

"We knew it was bigger than we could handle," Malphrus said. "We had to reach out for federal assistance. We were intimately involved, but it took a lot of people in this case."

Assistant U. S. Attorney Nick Bianchi of the Charleston office couldn’t comment specifically about the origins of the investigation, but said "collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement is essential."

U.S. Attorney Beth Drake said, "The indictment and arrests of these defendants is the result of a lengthy investigation aimed at removing those responsible for pushing large quantities of drugs into our communities, often while armed with deadly weapons. We will continue to move forward with this investigation and prosecution and do all we can to give the people of South Carolina a safe place to live."

Malphrus said he believes the drug organization has been responsible for a lot of the violent crime in Jasper County.

The maximum penalty for each defendant who was federally charged is life in prison and a fine of $10 million.

Bianchi and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carra Henderson of the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office are assigned for prosecution.

Mitchellville bust

On Nov. 13, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office said multiple guns, drugs and cash were seized after warrants were served in the Mitchellville area.

A news release said the sheriff’s office and S.C. Law Enforcement Division agents responded to Orange Grove Road in Mitchellville in search of Ra’sheed Fields, 24, and Kyron Shaw, 31, who were wanted for outstanding warrants for armed robbery and second-degree assault and battery by mob.

Shaw also had multiple municipal and magistrate level warrants, the sheriff’s office said.

Malphrus said eight guns (five that had been stolen), 124 grams of cocaine, 27 grams of methamphetamine, a small amount of crack cocaine, 37 Xanax pills, a small amount of marijuana and $3,517 were seized.

Broddrick Lee, 28, was also arrested after he attempted to flee and threw down crack cocaine while running, Malphrus said.

Fields, Shaw and Lee face new charges of three counts of possession of a weapon during a violent crime, trafficking cocaine and trafficking methamphetamine.

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